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Union State seen as type of integration when countries preserve their sovereignty — Putin

According to the president, the European Union has developed closer integration than the Union State

ST. PETERSBURG, July 13. /TASS/. The Union State of Russia and Belarus is a type of integration when both states preserve their sovereignty, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.

"Literally, it is not a state. It is just a certain level of integration when both sides preserve their sovereignty. But, it makes people’s lives easier, it creates certain conditions for economic development, boosts our common competitiveness," he explained.

According to the president, the European Union has developed closer integration than the Union State. "They have a common currency and a very strong customs union, and so on and so forth. They have common space for movements. They everything we have not yet achieved," he added.

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